Matt S
Edgware, United Kingdom,
“The three C’s of great writing: clear, concise, and coherent.”
Specialist subjects:
Editing formats:
Education:
BA in History
University of Exeter
2016–2020
Favorite referencing style
My favorite referencing style is MHRA, which I used when writing my dissertation. Generally speaking, I prefer footnotes to in-text citations because they make it easier to find the original source.
Why I became an editor
I've always been really particular when it comes to presentation; whether it's noticing typos in writing or being the only one in a group project unable to overlook an alignment error! After studying history at university for four years, and writing countless essays during that time, this obsession has only gotten worse—or better. You decide! It made sense to put this passion into practice, and I am now ready to share my skills and help others improve their work.
Background and experience
At university, I edited my student newspaper and participated in a number of media internships, such as with Red Bull and The Spectator magazine.
Why I love proofreading and editing
Proofreading is like a puzzle where you're trying to find the pieces to help elevate your client's work. It's super satisfying to spot these improvements, as you know it's going toward turning a piece of writing from good to great. I also enjoy reading about different subjects, and I've already learned a lot about topics I may not have otherwise come across.
Favorite book:
My favorite book is City of Thieves by David Benioff, of Game of Thrones fame, as it inspired my favorite video game, The Last of Us.
Hobbies:
When I'm not proofreading, I'm likely to be on a film set! I've recently become an extra in films and TV shows as another post-uni side hustle.
Editing tips:
The biggest gamechanger for me as a proofreader is to have a checklist of everything I need to go over before returning or submitting a piece of work.
